On a hot day or breezy summer night, a cold, refreshing beer is sometimes (okay, most times) just what the doctor ordered. However, pint after pint of the foamy goodness can pack on the pounds faster than you’d think. I’d never advocate ditching beer completely (nobody stands between me and my Belgian ales), but a little calorie consciousness can be a good idea sometimes, especially if you’re looking to avoid or minimize the ubiquitous beer gut. A bar trip can easily turn into a 800-calorie kind of night—and that’s not even factoring in dinner beforehand or the drunken 2 a.m. pizza run—when you don’t know the facts.
Ales
Ale-style beers are what many people turn to when the temperature goes up. (They’re a clear favorite among our editorial staff, too.) But after comparing these 12-ounce servings, it’s clear that what tastes light in flavor isn’t always light in calories.
Hefeweizens (Wheat Beers):
- Pyramid—145
- Weinhard’s—151
- Paulaner—168
- Samuel Adams—182
IPAs (Pale Ales):
- Samuel Adams—175
- Red Hook—188
- Deschutes Quail Springs—200
- Sierra Nevada—231
- Dogfish Head 60 Minute—294
Stouts (Dark Ales):
- Guinness Draught—125
- Murphy’s—150
- Samuel Adams Cream Stout—195
- Sierra Nevada—225
Brown Ales:
- Newcastle—140
- Nut Brown Ale—171
